Calvary Baptist Church

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Why is Praying so Hard?

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I have had someone ask me the question, “Why is praying so hard for me? It seems that every time I sincerely try to pray, distractions come along and I lose my concentration and heart to pray.”

For many people prayer isn’t a joy to them but a burden. When they fail to pray, they feel guilty, when they do pray, they worry that they might not be doing it correctly, or disruptions break in and steal the time away. Or maybe their prayers are wooden and lifeless, perhaps only repeating words learned in childhood but never engaging their minds or hearts. But this is the opposite of what prayer should be. Prayer shouldn’t be a burden but a privilege — a privilege God has so graciously given because He enjoys fellowship with His saints. And folks, speak to Him in just plain old English. The Lord doesn’t care anything about those $100.00 words. Speak to Him just if it was you and I talking. Believe me, He understands every word you’re saying. Remember, Jesus Christ died to destroy the barrier of sin that separates us from God, and when we give our lives to Him, we have a personal relationship with Almighty God.

But the key to any relationship is communication, and this is true on a human level. What kind of relationship does two people have who never talk to each other? In a far greater way, our relationship with God involves communication, not just an occasional brief chat, but a deep sharing of ourselves and our concerns with God. You see, because Christ has opened Heaven’s door for us, the Bible says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4: 16) (KJV).

Prayer is simply talking to God and God speaks with us through His Word. Both are essential, and both are gifts God has given us so we can know Him. Prayer is a gift from God’s hand just as much as the Bible. Imagine being able to talk to the Creator and the King of glory. Our time for prayer should be more important than anything else in our daily lives.